It's great to be here. My name is Brian Graham. As a former business owner in marketing I can tell you, Compendium Corporate Blogging Software is a tool that would have allowed my small business clients to hit a home-run. "How do I get found on the Internet?" was the question on the minds of all of my clients.
Businesses want cost effective ways to market their business that they can track and see results. They want to be able to hold their marketing vendors accountable for those results. Small businesses need leverage to gain an edge in the market place. Before my marketing company I owned a restaurant franchise and most of the options available to me for marketing were not trackable and there was no way to hold any of the suppliers accountable. It was very frustrating. There was no way I could figure the ROI either. I was at the mercy of uncontrollable forces. So here's to successful business marketing through blogging. Cheers!
I was talking with a business owner on the phone yesterday and the conversation went south on both his account and mine. We were getting in our own way. He was not getting it and not listening to me and I was not getting it and not listening to him. Traditional marketing, "push marketing", is a lot like the described conversation. You are trying to push your product, service, or message until someone will get it instead of creating opportunities to listen and help.
Blogging best practices suggest telling stories of how you help people in your business. By creating an inbound marketing strategy through a blogging solution you are letting your potential customers and clients find you on their terms. You are getting out of your own way and letting the process happen. You are letting the relationship grow. This is the "social" aspect of blogging that lets your company be human.
Try listening and understanding and get out of your own way to let progress happen. Start a blog for business. It is a great place to begin.
I thought one of the great points during Chris Baggott's latest webinar was why would you blog? You have a business blog because you are trying to make money by solving problems.
It is no secret to your future customers that you are in business to make money. So why should you try to hide this fact on your corporate blog. Search marketing can be done easily when you implement business blog software. Blog marketing is the cutting edge of search marketing. Embrace it and start driving traffic and converting visitors into business.
Any online marketing strategy you decide to implement will need time to flourish and grow. Search marketing is a good example. It isn't a success overnight. The idea for a good marketing plan is to find what works and amplify it then repeat.
When looking at your online marketing strategy you need to be committed and know that results aren't going to be immediate. Especially when you are blogging and using blogging as a tool for SEO. SEO by nature is not a quick fix. It takes time to see results. And we have all heard, good things come to those who wait.
You should look at blogging if done correctly as the most affordable business SEO strategy you can implement. There are plenty of resources available to businesses looking to start blogging for business. What are you waiting for? The sooner you start the sooner you can see results.
I used to be a restaurant owner. There were plenty of sales people lined up to spend my marketing dollars. As a small business owner you need to expect accountability from your marketing channels. There are too many marketing strategies, blog marketing, online marketing, search marketing, traditional marketing take your pick, not too demand a return on your investment.
The next time the yellow pages sales person or the local flyer sales person comes in ask them how they are going to partner with you to track the success of the campaign. You will most likely get a blank stare. They can't deliver.
Online marketing and search marketing provide the analytics a business owner needs to make decisions regarding customer acquisition. Demand accountability from your marketing dollars and find a partner to help you track your customer acquisition efforts.
An easy and accepted way to start is to define blogging for yourslef and a strategy to use blogging to convert visitors into happy customer. It is a great way to boost SEO and convert traffic. Demand accountability!
It seems lately I have been having the same conversations with people trying to figure out online marketing. They are still looking at things from an "Old School" marketing approach. They are looking at numbers of impressions or eyeballs that will see their message.
They are missing the boat with all the tools available to them when is comes to search marketing. They have the ability to attract the exact type of customer they want simply by getting specific and focused which allows them to get more qualified eyeballs that are more likely to buy.
Keyword targeting and understanding how people search for your products and services is key to leveraging search marketing and online marketing. Blogging and other social media outlets are a great way to flood the marketplace with these keywords and have people find you.
Online and search marketing also allows you track the results of your efforts. Blogging for search actually has a purpose. Figuring out ways to increase and use SEO tools to your advantage is crucial. Do yourself a favor setup a blog. Figure out the best blogging solution for your business and just do it.
Blogging for SEO is like finding a great wine or the best beer. Remember when you first explored these landscapes? You made your selection by white or red for wine or light and dark for beer. As you became more educated about the differences and all the varieties available searching for what you were looking for was easier. The differences in a Shiraz and a Pinot Noir are significant. A Munich Helles and an American Lager are worlds apart, literally.
When your potential clients are searching for what you offer they have the same knowledge and are searching on terms that are specific, IE glossy four color printing. When I go to the liquor store I know that I want an Imperial IPA, I am going to ask for exactly that. This is going to narrow down all the other beer styles available and get me to only the Imperial IPA choices.
Blogging as a tool for SEO allows you to help your clients find you and narrow down all the other choices. They have to wade through the sea of other companies out their who may offer the same or similar products or services. They know what they want and you can convert them at a higher rate IF they find you. Help them find YOU! So go grab your favorite Cabernet or IPA and find out how to start a business blog! CHEERS!
I was talking with a small business owner this weekend about the plethora of marketing options. He made the comment their are plenty of people waiting in line to spend your money but no one wants to be accountable for results.
He really hadn't thought about starting a blog for his business. I shared my experience as a business owner and why creating a marketing plan that has measurable results is the only way to make good business decisions. Leaving your marketing to chance will lead to frustration and lost revenue.
The on line tools available for businesses today are very measurable and give owners the data they need to hold their marketing partners accountable for results. If there is no return and revenue is not being generated then resources can be directed else where. No guessing just data that tells the real story.
Business blogging for SEO is a great way to get the benefits of social media and generate leads. You can track results and know how much traffic and conversion is being generated. Don't be shy give it a try!
